Uncanny Avengers #14 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Steve McNiven, John Dell (Artists), Laura Martin (Colorist)

The Story: As Wanda and Simon prepares to betray the Apocalypse Twins, it seems that Rogue and Sunfire have other ideas about what they should do. Hilarity ensues.

The Review: Well, I can’t properly review this one without actually spoiling a lot of what happens here. so here’s the regulatory warning.

*Spoiler Alert*

Now that this is dealt with, let’s get into the heart of the matter. Death in comic books have become gradually cheaper as years went on, with many issues actually presenting them in their solicits as points of sale. Their importance and impact now being significantly lower, they have become gimmicks that have lost quite of their charms, since most of them are then retconned or repaired sooner or later. It’s easy to become jaded now when a character dies in the end of an issue or when an issue promises to be important because someone will die. It’s a simple fact.

Rick Remender goes forth here and actually goes on to ”kill” three of our protagonists here. With the word kill used in this way, some of these deaths are either too big or simply dubious, as some of these characters are either too big to simply go away ( I sincerely do not believe that Scarlet Witch will actually die, considering she’s supposed to star in the next big Avengers movie by Joss Whedon).

Despite the overall negativity of the previous statement, credits should be given to Rick Remender for not pointing death as a big finality of his storyline as he actually does not give character cheap deaths or simply waves them away in a nonchalant way. The way Rogue, Wonder Man and Scarlet Witch are mortally wounded is done in a way that adds drama and gravitas to the story, with their deaths having a direct impact on the story and the relationship between those characters. Despite the fact that it could be perhaps seen as overkill, this issue does actually use these deaths rather well by putting them in a much better context than what could be normally seen.

Uncanny Avengers #13 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Daniel Acuña (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: The members of the Unity squad are trying in their own way to solve the problems posed by the Apocalypse Twins. Meanwhile, the twins are themselves plotting for the fulfilment of their plan.

The Review: Even though I rather like the creative team, the themes and most of the characters featured in this series, something didn’t seem to click for me with Uncanny Avengers. This lead to me being rather harsh (though fair) in my review of the previous issue of this series, which seemed to represent many of the problems I had with the series to begin with, putting them to the forefront in a way that lead to an unsatisfying read for me. I, however, believe in the fact that not all issues in a series can be great, that missteps can be made. Was the previous issue simply a fluke or would this issue provide another assessment of a lot of the problem I had with the series so far?

In a lot of ways, this issue corrects a lot of what annoyed me a bit with this series as it tweaks some elements and move at a faster rate with its many plot points and characters. It’s not a complete reversal in terms of quality, with some of the problems I have still being present, yet it is definitely a step in the right direction, with all things considered.

Uncanny Avengers #11 – Review

Rick Remender (Writer), Daniel Acuña (Artist, Colorist)

The Story: Quite a lot of the members of the Avengers unity squad gets explanation about what is happening and what might just happen if things continue the way they are.

The Review: Exposition is always useful. It can bring people up to speed on the status of certain events or characters quickly, reinstate the gravity of a situation and throw new concepts to the readers to appreciate. It’s the perfect tool to bring in new readers to make sure they won’t be lost and to make sure that the regular reader don’t forget the important information in the wait between each issues.

However, it is also something that can severely hinder an issue if it indulge too much in it, which this issue unfortunately does. There are a good number of things to explain, of course, as the connection between some of the horsemen and what made it so has to be explained and certainly put on spotlight for it to be effective, yet there is simply not a lot going on in this issue because of the heavy emphasis on the dialogue and exposition.

It’s not an issue-breaking problem, fortunately, as there are some good concepts brought up front which does advance some of the themes of this series forward, however slightly it does. The scene with Scarlet Witch and the Apocalypse twins does bring some interesting ideas as it mixes some of the older ones like Magneto’s brotherhood of evil and Archangel to the newer ones like what Red Skull is trying to do and what he might achieve if he succeeds. It creates an ominous conflict that plays well with the ambiguous antagonism of the Apocalypse twins, who seems to possess larger plans and a certain nobility despite their methods. It does make those characters a bit more interesting as villains.

Uncanny Avengers #10 – Review

Rick Remender (Writer), Daniel Acuña (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: With the teams divided and searching in their own ways for what is going on with the children of Archangel, the horsemen of death each gather their own specific target.

The Review: There will always be a gap between generations when it comes to appreciation of a particular title. Every fans of a certain franchise always will look up to a certain era or a certain writer when it comes to the very best representation of what they like. Some people prefer the Chris Claremont era of Uncanny X-Men, while others loved when Grant Morrison went in with his New X-Men, as the future may see the construction of a generation that will praise the Bendis era with All-New X-Men. Each team, characters and general franchise in superhero comics have been handed down throughout the years to others, with some resonating with their audience and their time. However, does Rick Remender, with his dual X-men and Avengers team make something that caters more to one group or the other?

In ways, it is admirable to see him try to combine two of the biggest franchise that Marvel has the right to. In a purely conceptual level, this is a book that could work in a big way, as some of the biggest characters comes together to fight threats that are new to some of its member, creating a melting pot of the best that Marvel could offer. In theory, the fact that Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, Havok and others need to fight the Red Skull, Kang, the children of Archangel and other likely foes to create a better reputation for mutants is sound as it should be exciting.

However, while the concept is grand, there are some problems in its execution, which can be seen in this issue. One of the bigger one, so far, is the narration and some of the bizarre throwbacks Remender use in its dialogue and explanation of events. In a way, this title tries to emulate both the old Avengers and Uncanny X-Men comics, providing us readers with narration enhancing the visual effects as well as somewhat melodramatic dialogue that makes things somewhat akin to a soap opera, a practice that was very popular in the 70’s and 80’s in comics. While it is an efficient and sometime well-handled throwback to those comics, it can be sometime a bit too much, even used in ways that slow down the pace and effect some scenes have. While the way some of the characters talk gives the readers a touch of mystery and a good showcase of their personality, it is also rife with tons of exposition and an over-abundance of melodrama, creating something that may be a bit goofy at times. It is, I suppose, the very point of such a practice, yet it does its job a bit too well as it just slows down or dumb down some of the better elements of the issue.

Uncanny X-Force #28

By: Rick Remender (story), Julian Totino Tedesco (art), Justin Posnor (colors)

The Story: Seconds before Daken blows them to hell, Psylocke uses a dying Gateway to blindly transport them…30 years into the future. Deathlock says “sup, guys?”

The Review: When I finished this issue, I stared at it for a few minutes wondering how the hell it was even possible to exist. I’m a creative type and while I generally enjoy reading something that is amazing, I also get that jealous “go frack yourself” feeling too. That rude awakening of “you’re not this good, and you might not ever be.” So, Rick Remender, please, go eff yourself. Uncanny X-Force is so damn good that other comics should quake in fear of it. If you listen closely to your weekly stack , you’ll hear the other titles crying “please read me first. PLEASE!” because if you read X-Force first, everrything else is going to pale in comparison, unless maybe Saga is also in that stack.

Daken: Dark Wolverine #20 – Review

By: Rob Williams (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), Cris Peter and Rachelle Rosenberg (colors)

The Story: A romance for psychopaths.

The Review: This is going to be a short review. I picked up Daken: Dark Wolverine #20 because it’s a slow week for my pull list, and the last time that happened, I reviewed another book about one of Wolverine’s progeny that was slated for cancellation, X-23 #18. I liked that issue, though I felt I was not the target audience. I get the feeling that Daken #20 was not aimed at me either, but this time, I just cannot find anything to like.

We open on Daken preparing to assassinate the “Kingpin” of LA with a sniper rifle Daken seems to have stolen out of a Rob Liefeld book. Daken believes that by killing this guy, he’ll be able to take over LA. Not the best supervillain scheme I’ve ever heard, but I can work with it. He never get’s an opportunity for a clear shot, so he decides to try again later. The book moves on to FBI Agent Donna Kiel sitting alone in a dinner, waiting for Daken to join her. She and Daken have been through a lot together recently, and she’s kinda at the end of her rope. When a stranger flirts with her, she pulls out a gun, and puts it to her own head to let him know she isn’t interested.

Once Daken joins her, the rest of the issue deals with the pair trying to reconcile the attraction they have for each other with the repulsion they feel toward that attraction. To be fair to the creators, this issue is well done. Rob Williams provides a tight story which does great job of exploring Daken and Kiel’s romantic and violent insecurities. The pacing is great, the characters are well developed, and this really functions well as a one-shot. Aside from the over-sized gun I mentioned earlier, I have no complaints about the art, handled by Allessandro Vitti. The issue is dynamically drawn, shows our two antiheroes for the damaged goods they are, and matches the desperate tone of the script. I also want to applaud Vitti for actually drawing the characters so they look like real people instead of supermodels, and particularly for drawing Kiel in clothes that don’t appear to have been sprayed onto her body.

Wolverine #15 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writing), Goran Sudzuka (art), Matthew Wilson (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story:  Logan finds new and interesting ways of beating himself up after last month’s shocking finale.

The Review:  Once in a while, our standard review format doesn’t quite work, particularly when a book’s positives and negatives are deeply intertwined.  This is one of those times.

Reading this issue, there’s no mistaking the fact that Jason Aaron is a very, very good writer with an excellent handle of his craft.  His script is filled with deep, heavy emotion and he shows a complete mastery of Logan’s unique voice that I can only wish more Marvel writers had in their own backpockets.  This is an emotionally affecting, gut-wrenching book that bleeds depression like an unrelenting funeral doom album.  After last month’s revelation, it’s the aftermath you’d expect and more.  That Aaron isn’t content to dump a major reveal and move on is admirable, as is his willingness to explore the emotional ramifications more than anything else.

But here’s the problem: as good as the script is on a technical level and as evocative and Aaron’s prose is, he goes too far in his depiction of Wolverine’s self-flagellation.  It’s a narrow line to walk and, for me anyway, Aaron ends up  going too over the top, winding up in unintentional comedy country.  Wolverine’s self-imposed penance is, in a word, ridiculous.

Having him jump off a mountain again and again?  Having him drag coffins all around he country?  It’s too much.  Excluding the fact that this all comes dangerously close to depressing for depression’s sake, Logan’s actions wind up being unbelievable.  I mean…the man jumps off a cliff again and again like a certain Warner Brothers coyote.  When tragedy turns into morbid slapstick, it’s clear something has gone terribly wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with depressing comics, but this book is a downer without much of a purpose beyond, well, being a downer, as though Aaron sat down with the sole express purpose of writing the most depressing Wolverine comic of all time.  This also leads to situations that beggar belief.  For instance, in one scene, I found myself particularly incredulous at the idea that an average Joe on the street would be willing to cut another man’s throat without a second thought.  Again, I may be coming off like a broken record here, but it’s just too much.

First Impressions 9/9/10

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 9/9/10

Invaders Now #1

By Christos Gage, Alex Ross & Caio Reis
Price: $3.99

Brief Thoughts: The existence of this miniseries is at least warranted and organic, considering how many classic Invaders are now walking around the Marvel Universe, alive and well.  Gage and Ross do a decent job of explaining away why every former member of the team happens to be paired up with another at the same exact time, but overall this is a “get the gang back together” issue and the meat of the story is merely hinted at, leaving this introductory chapter feeling a little insubstantial.  Reis’ artwork is solid if not memorable, and overall the package is a decent outing from Marvel.  Too bad “decent” isn’t enough to equal a purchase these days.

Verdict: Save your dough.

Daken: Dark Wolverine #1

By Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, and Giuseppe Camuncoli
Price: $3.99

Brief Thoughts: The Dark Wolverine series has been coasting since the ending of the Dark Reign, and it seems with this reboot things might be starting to get back on track.  Way and Camuncoli have given their Machiavellian lead a new purpose, and while it’s certainly not much different than his previous raison d’être, it at least makes this series seem to have forward momentum.  Camuncoli really has proven, mainly by his absence, that any and all Daken stories suffer if he’s not handling the artwork.  The artist is a master at bringing out the subtle darkness present in the tone of the tale and within the title character, and Marvel should really do their damnedest to keep him on this book if they want it to continue selling.

Verdict: Give it a (tentative) shot.

Lucid #1

By Michael McMillian & Anna Wieszczyk
Price: $3.95

Brief Thoughts: There are some interesting ideas to be found in this story about magical agents working for the U.S. government, attempting to protect the world from inter-dimensional invasion.  However, the mangaesque artwork makes the whole affair seem very regular and uninteresting, betraying what could have been a sleeper hit.  Perhaps a more suitable artist, who can really bring the dark and mystical mood to the forefront, could be brought on for the next arc?  Or is it too late?  Let’s hope not.

Verdict: Save your dough.

Weird War Tales #1

By Various
Price: $3.99

Brief Thoughts: There are three short tales to be found within, and while they each have their own merits, there’s not much to be said about any of them save Darwyn Cooke’s wickedly dark comedic piece about what all the former war heroes of history past and their brethren get up to after they die.  I found myself wishing for more when I found it was done, but that brevity may be part of its charm.  Either way, it’s well worth the price of admission alone.

Verdict: Give it a shot.

Shrek #1

By Various
Price: $3.95

Brief Thoughts: I watched the first Shrek film and it was enough to keep me away from the rest of them.  I suppose if you’re a Shrek fan this might be of interest to you, and while I personally found it to be boring, predictable, and not very funny, that is very likely due to my pre-existing bias against the franchise.  But, hey, I tried!

Verdict: Save your dough.

Transformers: Drift #1

By Shane McCarthy & Alex Milne
Price: $3.99

Brief Thoughts: Growing up on Transformers cartoons hasn’t necessarily led to a love of the current Transformers comics coming from IDW, but occasionally I’ll pick up an issue here and there.  Sometimes I’m happy I did so, and sometimes I’m not so pleased.  Drift #1 is not the best TF story I’ve read, but I was suitably entertained and I wouldn’t be against reading the next issue, although I probably won’t miss it if I don’t.  I do want to know why the heck are Transformers dressed as Jedis in this issue, though?  And who’s their tailor?

Verdict: Save your dough.

Punisher Max: Hot Rods of Death #1

By Charlie Huston & Shawn Martinborough
Price: $4.99

Brief Thoughts: Hot Rods of Death is a fun little Punisher piece where Frank Castle plays the part of the drifter being called in to save a town in deadly danger.  There’s not a lot new to be found here, but there is a solid level of enjoyment in watching everyone’s favorite vigilante kill bad men.  Huston handles the storytelling nicely, although there are the odd few pages that threatened to drown under their own wordiness.  Martinborough comes through on that end, though, and makes you forget those bumps on the road once you get to the glorious automobile carnage he has in store for you.  5 bucks for 32 pages is pushing it, sure, but heck, live a little.

Verdict: Give it a shot.

Domino Lady Noir #1

By Nancy Holder & Shawn Van Briesen
Price: $3.50

Brief Thoughts: When I sit down to read a comic book, my brain does certain things.  It silently readies itself to imbibe visual entertainment mixed with a healthy amount of text, but not too healthy an amount.  After all, nothing can kill the pacing of a comic like an overabundance of text.  So, it’s with great pain that I open a comic like Domino Lady Noir and find that it really isn’t a comic book in the traditional sense at all, but a short prose story accompanied by the odd illustration here and there.  If I wanted to read a prose story, I’d read a proper book, not this.  It’s practically tantamount to false advertising.  Am I being a bit harsh?  Probably.  Do I stand by this opinion?  Probably.

Verdict: Save your dough and buy a book.

Ratchet & Clank #1

By T.J. Fixman & Adam Archer
Price: $3.99

Brief Thoughts: I’ve never played any of Sony’s Ratchet and Clank videogames, so I came into this comic with no expectations or preconceived notions of what it was about.  Having read it, while I don’t know that this would be my thing on a regular basis, it was certainly a lot of fun.  Fixman’s script brings the reader up to speed about our titular duo quickly enough and with little exposition, making it very easy to just sit back and enjoy the ride.  Archer’s artwork was perfect for the type of story being told, giving it a nicely animated look and telling the story well visually.  And, hey, robot sidekick!  A pleasant surprise.

Verdict: Give it a shot.

-Joe Lopez

Franken-Castle #17 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Roland Boschi (art), Dan Brown (colors) & Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Having been reborn as Franken-Castle, the former Punisher has settled in with the League of Monsters and is ready to start settling some old scores.

What’s Good: Let me toss out a caveat… I’m not someone who has been a Punisher fan for decades.  I know some hardcore Punisher fans aren’t thrilled with this Franken-Castle change of events, but I’m coming at this story relatively fresh.

As a recap, in Dark Reign: The List – Punisher, Frank Castle got chopped up into about 20 pieces and killed by Daken.  His pieces were picked up in the sewers by the League of Monsters and they reanimated him as Franken-Castle.  Personally, I kind of like this direction for the character because I’ve never thought that Punisher worked that well in the Marvel Universe because he can’t really go toe-to-toe with the super-powered set.  And if he isn’t going to be interacting with other superheroes and villains, why have Punisher in the Marvel U?

That being said, unless you’re just an offended Punisher fan, I don’t see how you can fail to enjoy the premise for this series right now.  Just as it’s always kinda fun when a hero gets a new power or gets a new uniform, this is the ultimate new power/new uniform combo.  I’m sure it won’t be forever, but let’s enjoy it while it lasts.

Beyond the changes to Frank, it is fun to see all the squirmy little monsters in this book.  This is where Boschi’s art really sings.  About 50% of the panels in this issue are just filled with monsters in all their tentacled/horned/fanged/shambling glory.  Good stuff!

The story is mostly incidental (for me) until the very end of the issue when we see that Frank has a list of folks who have done him wrong and he’s out to settle some scores.  Among the folks on the list is Daken!  That should be good!

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 Wolverine #85 – Review

by Daniel Way & Marjorie Liu (writers), Stephen Segovia (artist)

The Story: Wolverine calls a meeting with his wayward son, Daken, to request his help in taking down uber-baddie Romulus.  However, unbeknownst to the feral X-Man, his son isn’t necessarily on his side.  But is that actually part of Wolverine’s plan?

What’s Good: * Sigh*  I would really like to be positive here and have something nice to say about this issue.  I’d really, really like to…

What’s Not So Good: This is by far the weakest Dark Wolverine issue since the character of Daken took over his father’s title.  The driving cause of this is easily the fact that it’s crossing over with Wolverine Origins beginning with this issue.  Despite the unnecessary convolutions in the life of Wolverine that Daniel Way has wrought over in Origins, Daken somehow emerged to be an interesting character when you separated him from all of that mumbo jumbo.  Now that this story has brought him back into the excruciatingly boring Romulus story-line, it seems we’ll have to deal with two months of uninteresting plots.  I’m being a little harsh here, really, but man, I love Wolverine, and Daken has grown into a favorite character of mine under the pen of Way and Liu, despite all odds.  The fact that we’ve taken a step back to wrap up the whole Romulus thing seems like a shame to me.  At least this crossover will tie all of that up and then we can move on to telling interesting stories again.

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.

Dark Wolverine #80 – Review

By Daniel Way & Marjorie Liu (writers), Stephen Segovia & Paco Diaz Luque (artists), Sandu Florea, Guillermo Ortego, & Jay Leisten (inkers), Marte Garcia & Antonio Fabela (colorists)

The Story: Dark Wolverine saves a baby. There, I just saved you $2.99 and the urge to cut your wrists with the paper this piece of shit was printed on.

The Good: Paco Diaz Luque turns in some solid art and would have been a much better choice to carry this book instead of Segovia. Unfortunately, his meager efforts still aren’t enough to redeem this book.

The Not So Good: I’m disgusted that it took nine people to make a story that amounted to twenty-one pages of talk and a splash page of Dark Wolverine holding a baby in his arms. This title has only ever been marginally entertaining at best, and the first story arc held potential for the title as well as Daken, but I’m sorry to see my hopes so thoroughly crushed with this latest storyline, and this issue in particular, which culminates in one of the most pathetic, shark-jumping moments I’ve seen all year. And comic like this, we’re supposed to believe, are what passes for entertainment in this industry. Well, I’m sorry but I’ve had enough and I refuse to continue handing over my money to this comic anymore. Way and Liu have inexplicably found new ways every month to not live up to their potential, and I can’t keep waiting for them to turn things around and redeem a comic that was only barely interesting to begin with. It took me three attempts to actually finish reading this comic; I was that bored with every word on every panel. Monthly comics like this need to be able to stand on their own legs. You need to be able to walk into the comic store, pay for an issue, take it home to read, and feel like you were entertained enough to have made a good purchase. There is an ugly trend in comics though, of which this title in particular has been especially guilty, that advocates writing comic stories for their release as graphic novels and not as serialized entertainment. If the industry wants to sell graphic novels I’ll be more than happy to pay for them, but then let’s stop kidding each other with these monthly comics that have utterly no entertainment value. Issues like this are a blight on the industry and succeed in only wasting your time and money.

Conclusion: I’d like to offer Dark Wolverine #80 as The Worst Comic of the Year. I’m done buying this title and strongly advise anyone else currently reading it to do the same. We deserve much, much better than this.

Grade: F-

-Tony Rakittke

Dark Avengers #11 – Review

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

The Story: As the Avengers find themselves subjected to the whims of Molecule Man, Victoria Hand scrambles.

What’s Good: As Hand takes center-stage this month, we finally get a three-dimensional character out of her.  It’s very interesting to see how her motivations largely stem out of an uncompromising sense of integrity mixed with a desire to do as much as good as possible.  Hopefully this is a seed that will come back to bite Norman.  Either way, it’s always great to get to know a character as an individual, let alone one who’d been little more than scenery up until this point.  Having Hand become more developed will undoubtedly add more to the series.

Meanwhile, in the present, Hand is thrust into a central leadership position, and we see just how awkward, uncomfortable, and perhaps even unprepared and flustered she is in such a role.  Victoria Hand finally feels and looks human and almost likable.

Molecule Man is the other central figure this month and he’s definitely creepy, particularly thanks to Bendis’ godlike portrayal of his ill-defined Silver Age power set.  I also really liked how Bendis wrote his voice.  While not openly bonkers, there’s just something off about his dialogue.  Bendis is clearly trying to convey the character’s complete social ineptitude, isolation, and consequent difficulty conversing with others.  It’s very subtle, but that makes it all the more skillfully executed.

Greg Horn also does a fantastic job illustrating the “dream sequences” this month, with his hazy, softer, painted feel contrasting beautifully and suddenly with the usual heavy, dark, muscled fare that Deodato brings.

What’s Not So Good: Nothing really wowed me about this issue.  I think that that’s largely due to the book spending an incredible amount of time with Molecule Man as the main character weaving the text together.  Probably not a good call when we’re unattached to the character.  Also, while his voice is good, his “I want to be left alone” rhetoric does repeat.  This would normally be just fine, but when he’s holding together the entire issue, it gets a little dry.

Also, outside of Hand’s scenes, the structure of this month’s issue is so apparent that it creaks.  Every member of the team gets one scene where they feel the power of Molecule Man.  It’s a really uninventive way of getting a new villain’s power across and it also makes the latter half of the issue feel more like a series of skits or vignettes than a single coherent book.  As each Avenger is visited, I can almost feel Bendis ticking off boxes.  Of course, page-count concerns also reduce the length of each scene, sometimes to a single page, so it’s not like any of them particularly resonate either.

Furthermore, was it really necessary to see Sentry get pulverized again?  It’s getting ridiculous how the most uber-powerful character in the Avengers-line has been turned into a complete bitch throughout Dark Reign thanks to the writer’s inability to figure out what to do with him.  It’s not like anyone would take anything resembling a death for the character seriously at this point anyway.

As a final note, I mentioned this last month, but Deodato really does love to draw scantily clad women.  For the second month in a row, the needless skimpiness annoys.  As does seeing page after page of naked bodybuilder Norman Osborn.

Conclusion: It’s cool getting to know Victoria, but outside of some neat work by Horn, the rest of the book is a bit of a wash.

Grade: C+

–Alex Evans

 

Dark Reign: The List – Punisher #1- Review

By Rick Remender (Writer), John Romita Jr. (Pencils), Klaus Janson (Inks), and Dean White (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m a casual Punisher fan. While I haven’t been following the ongoing series (which I hear is really good), I will definitely be jumping on board when the Franken-Castle arc starts. So, in preparation, I decided to check out The List-Punisher to see if there’s anything I need to know about the current direction of the ongoing.

The Story: Norman Osborn pulls out all the stops in order to bring down Frank Castle. When that fails, Norman sends out Daken…

What’s Good: Whether it’s in the form of shock, awe, disgust, or the classic “Holy Shit!” you are bound to have some sort of gut-level reaction to the events that take place in Dark Reign: The List – Punisher. Why? Because Rick Remender and John Romita Jr. tell one hell of a Punisher story. A Punisher story that is so brutal, so intense, and so ridiculously gripping thanks to the showdown between Frank Castle and Daken, it won’t soon be forgotten by this reviewer.

From Osborn’s obsession to Frank Castle’s thoughts, Rick Remender does a great job giving The List – Punisher a rather bleak tone. While Castle is certainly a one-man army, Remender quickly makes you realize that not only is he just a man, but a somewhat vulnerable one at that. And, somewhat surprisingly, the arrogant, efficient Daken turns out to be the perfect villain for Castle to take on as variations on the thrill of the fight is something that has driven both men down their respective paths. When Castle and Daken finally clash, it soon becomes clear that Remender isn’t pulling any tricks or punches. Their violent fight has such a sense of finality to it right from the start that I can’t help but give a round of applause to Rick Remender for truly putting the “Dark” into Dark Reign.

John Romita Jr.’s artwork only adds to Remender’s dark script. The fight between Daken and Castle, from the sewer to the rooftop, is gritty, dirty, and unrelentingly hardcore. You seriously won’t see violence like it in any Marvel book not slapped with the MAX label. It’s not all blood and guts though as Romita does an excellent job of driving the story forward. The hopelessness and inevitability that shines through in the script also shines through in Romita’s pencil work and Dean White’s grimy colors.

What’s Not So Good: For as awesome as The List – Punisher is, there’s no denying that the opening is a little bit lame. Seeing Osborn go all out on Punisher without any regard for anything, gets the book off to a rough, slightly silly start. The entire scene clashes with the rest of the issue in a bad way.

Conclusion: Go buy Dark Reign: The List – Punisher. Rough start aside, it’s truly memorable and one of, if not THE, best List one-shot so far.

Grade: A-

-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

 

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

Dark Wolverine #79 – Review

By Daniel Way & Marjorie Liu (writers), Stephen Segovia (artist), Jay Leisten & Cam Smith (inkers), Marte Garcia (colorist)

The Story: Emmy Doolin!  Cutthroat!  The Inquisitor!  Moses Magnum!  Marvel’s latest fantastic foursome is on the run from Norman Osborn, but they won’t go down without a fight.  Hiding out in an abandoned warehouse, the team devises a cunning plan to barter for their freedom with the same man who wants to apprehend them.  Wait, this is a Wolverine comic!?  Uh oh…

The Good: To his credit, Segovia has turned in some impressive art for what was surely a lackluster script.  Although I’m still not his biggest fan on this book, Segovia deserves credit nonetheless for stepping up his game and delivering art that attempts to engage the reader.  His opening scene and battle between Daken and the D-Listers was a refreshing change of pace and made me wish I could see more of that kind and quality of action in this comic more often.

The Not So Good: I’m really concerned to see that it actually takes two writers to churn out such increasingly uninteresting stories.  The sole strength of this title thus far lies in its ability to portray Daken manipulating his way through Norm Osborn’s evil empire.  It’s a great angle to take, but only succeeds when the writer can deliver it.  I did not get that from this issue, and I think the reason why is that Way and Liu are clearly pacing their plot for its inevitable graphic novel release.  As far as I can tell, they are either wholly ignorant of or knowingly disregarding the fact that for you and me, the people paying three bucks a month to read their stories, the experience of reading a monthly comic is vastly different from that of a six-issue graphic novel.  The single monthly comic used to be (and to an extent should still be, I would argue) a complete and dynamic experience unto itself.  This issue by contrast felt like a very unspectacular chapter in a larger story.  Daken only showed up for half of his own comic this month, and when his presence is the only thing keeping this comic alive, that’s really not a good thing, graphic novel release be damned.

Conclusion: Dark Wolverine is a comic that’s going nowhere fast.  While its labyrinthine plots might make sense after they’ve been collected in trade, they fail to entertain as monthly comics.  I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be collecting this.

Grade:  D

-Tony Rakittke

Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man #4 – Review

By Brian Reed (Writer), Chris Bachalo w/ Rob Disalvo (Pencils), Townsend, Disalvo, Sibal, Irwin, Wang, & Mendoza (Inks), and Bachalo w/Fabela & Mossa (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The storyline is a bit basic and the way the artwork is divided up tends to be annoying, but those issues haven’t stopped me from enjoying the hell out of the Sinister Spider-Man mini-series.

The Story: Mayor Jameson’s Big Apple Festival is in big trouble. The Redeemer’s there, the two rivals gangs are there, and, worst of all, Bullseye and Wolverine’s kid are there as well. Does that mean Spider-Man is in trouble as well? You better believe it.

What’s Good: Now that’s more like it! Sinister Spider-Man #4 manages to recapture everything that made the first issue of the mini-series so great. It’s funny as hell, the manic artwork kicks ass, and the story finishes in a way that’s so crazy it actually winds up being quite satisfying.

Brian Reed’s hilarious script elevates a fairly generic bad guy acting like a good guy story into something more. What makes it work so well is that Reed writes Mac Gargan (A.K.A. Sinister Spider-Man) as an asshole through and through. A funny, likeable asshole, but an asshole nonetheless. By doing so, Reed’s able to make you root for Gargan while loving every bit of chaos that erupts as a result of what he’s done throughout the mini-series. It must be said, however, that Reed’s script wouldn’t work nearly as well if the artist handling the craziest parts of it didn’t completely embrace the writers vision. Thankfully, Chris Bachalo does.

Right from the opening “What the **** is this **** all about?” splash page (that features, among other things, flying panties, gangsters, a poodle, and corn dogs), Bachalo establishes that the Sinister Spider-Man series is going to finish on one heck of a high note. Now I’m well aware that Bachalo’s kinetic style isn’t for everyone, but it’s hard to argue how fitting it is for the story being told and the action that takes place. I never thought I’d see both corn dogs and a “yap dog” being used as projectile weapons, yet there they are. The few pages Rob Disalvo contributes are solid as expected, though I can’t help but wonder why Marvel didn’t just give Bachalo another week or two to finish the book. It’s not like the whole Dark Reign thing is ending next week.

What’s Not So Good: The only real big negative about Sinister Spider-Man #4 is that occasionally Chris Bachalo’s artwork is too hectic. There’s a lot of stuff going on and sometimes it doesn’t come together all that well on the page. And that’s either due to small panel size or the amount of action being crammed into a scene.

Conclusion: Sinister Spider-Man #4 rocks pretty hard. Be sure to pick up the inevitable trade if you haven’t been following the Dark Reign mini-series.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Dark Wolverine #78 – Review

By Daniel Way & Marjorie Liu (writers), Stephen Segovia (artist), Marte Garcia (colors)

The Story: Uh-oh, the video footage that first got Daken into trouble has somehow gone viral, and Norman Osborn is determined to tear apart his organization to find the leak.  When the culprit is killed in a car accident though, Osborn decides the next best thing to do is stage a superhuman prison break that his Wolverine can resolve in a more heroic fashion.  Daken agrees to the PR stunt, but not necessarily for the reason Osborn thinks.

The Good: I like that this comic continues to be one of the better examples of what “Dark Reign” is capable of.  From the opening sequence of Bunny’s tragic “accident”, it’s clear that this is one comic that’s not afraid to flirt with evil.  Way and Liu have been crafting stories full of subterfuge and manipulation, and in the eye of their gathering storm stands Daken, observing all the chaos around him with cold detachment.  Even when he’s surrounded by Marvel’s most villainous bunch of bastards, it’s still Daken who somehow proves to be the biggest threat of them all.  We know he’s up to something, we know he’s got a plan, but what is it, and why?  The fact that we know so little about Daken’s motives makes him far more dangerous than a whack job like Bullseye, and that in turn makes for some good reading.

The Not So Good: Way and Liu are doing a great job handling Daken’s character, when he’s actually in his comic.  With exception to his cameos in the beginning and end of this issue, Daken barely even showed up for the rest of the story, and that’s a real problem when so far he’s the only thing making it worth reading.  I think the writers need to decide if they are going to continue making Daken a shadowy, secretive presence, or if they’re going to begin revealing Daken’s agenda, because “Dark Regin” will not last forever and at the rate they’re going the storyline will have ended before they finally get to the point, and I don’t know if I’ll want to stick around until then.  I’m actually disappointed to see Segovia on this book, whose work I’d last seen in the pages of Mighty Avengers.  Here, his art tends to remind me of Leinel Yu’s, and that would have been fine if Camuncoli hadn’t already left such a big impression on me!  Here’s to hoping he returns next month, because I sure missed his work here.

Conclusion: Daken continues to impress me as a character, but I’m not sure how long that will last before I get bored and move on.  Way and Liu need to do something with this plot soon to reassure readers that it is actually going somewhere.

Grade:  C+

-Tony Rakittke

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

Dark Reign: The List – Avengers One Shot #1- Review

Avengers feature by Brian Michael Bendis (writer) & Marko Djurdjevic (artist); Daredevil preview by Andy Diggle (writer) & Billy Tan (artist)

It seems to be a prerequisite of all mega-maniacal geniuses in the Marvel Universe to carry a list.  Reed Richards has one.  I’m pretty sure Tony Stark’s got one too, although he may no longer be able to remember where he left it.  And now Norman Osborn has compiled his very own list of things to do now that he is the man in charge.  Compiled in part to finally assassinate people he’s had longstanding grudges with, it also contains some strangely logical goals, like dealing once and for all with Hulk’s mindless rampages, arresting Nick Fury for training “youth terrorists,” and apprehending the unregistered New Avengers.  In short, it’s a list that will change the very status quo the Marvel Universe has operated under until now because, as Osborn observes, if the old status quo had actually worked, he wouldn’t be in charge now.

The first eight months of “Dark Reign” have been largely uninspired and unfocused, full of talk and petty spats blown out of proportion by writers. The stories out of “Dark Reign” were made to seem more impressive than they really are. As the year winds down though, Marvel’s latest storyline moves into its second phase with “The List,” in which Osborn seems to be finally ready to take his abuse of power to new heights and let villainy reign supreme. I have to admit, from what I’ve read in this issue, my interest in this storyline is fully renewed, and I’m excited to see if “Dark Reign” can be salvaged.

The feature of this issue involves an incredibly intense, well-executed infiltration of Avengers Tower by Clint Barton, who is dead set on killing Osborn before he can cause any more problems for the superhero community. In a world populated by people who can fly and shoot lasers from their eyes, it’s easy to underestimate a hero like Ronin who has no powers, that is, until you watch him stalk the night and take on the Dark Avengers by himself. To his credit, Bendis has defied my expectations here and set the stage for what seems to be a story full of betrayal, ulterior motives, and lethal action, all qualities I wanted to see more of in “Dark Reign”.

Rounding out this issue is a preview of Daredevil’s role in “The List,” and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the Avengers story, which is mind boggling since I haven’t touched a Daredevil story since Miller left the title. Andy Diggle and Billy Tan seem to have a good handle on the character, and I was so impressed with the title’s new direction, first revealed in Daredevil #500, that I’m now planning on following the comic!  This one shot was a surprisingly entertaining issue and a great jumping on point for anyone that has managed to avoid the baggage of “Dark Reign” until now. I’m convinced that there’s real potential to be found in “The List.” I’m alsomore than willing to stick around and see what happens.

Grade:  B

-Tony Rakittke

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus #1 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Mike Deodato, Terry Dodson, & Rachel Dodson (art), Justin Ponsor & Christina Strain (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: The ultimate showdown between the X-Men and the Dark Avengers/Dark X-Men.

What’s Good: It’s really nice to be surprised every now and then. With every issue of this crossover ranging between mild and complete suckage, I couldn’t help but expect this final double-sized issue to be a total catastrophe. Shockingly, what I got was actually pretty damned good.

Fraction still keeps it simple, but this time without falling into chasms of vacuous stupidity. This issue is nonetheless one giant action scene, but you really get a feeling that this time, all these fights actually mean something; the reasons for the giant brawl make sense.

The action is explosive, bombastic, and well-plotted out. The pairings are all logical and hence are quite fun. The fights between Daken and X-23 and Hawkeye and Archangel were particular favourites of mine.

I also greatly enjoyed the use of the Sentry this month, with Emma’s entrance to his mind being a definite highlight. Going into his mind, it was very different seeing a Bob that was completely sane and dressed like an ordinary guy (I’m talking a t-shirt clad, short-haired Bob that is pretty much unrecognizable from the golden god we’re used to). For once, the vulnerability that we so often see in Bob’s dialogue actually manifested itself physically– sort of.

I guess Fraction’s greatest achievement though is finally grabbing a hold of characterization in a way that he hadn’t managed thus far. Osborn sounds like the frustrated, tantrum throwing villain and Scott sounds like the intelligent, heroic leader. Both characters finally felt engaging and true to their roles. Moreover, I especially liked how Scott essentially takes a tactic Norman has been living off of since the beginning of Dark Reign and uses it against him.

That said, I’ve saved the best part of Exodus for last: the art. This crossover has been very uneven art-wise, but make no mistake, this book is absolutely gorgeous. There are so many images and splashes here that will have your jaw dropping. Sentry leaving the planet was a highlight for me, as was Mimic’s battle with Iceman. Just beautiful, glittering superhero action that pushes both Deodato and the Dodsons to their maximum potential. The art transcends “summer blockbuster” territory, delivering something that feels utterly enormous and breathlessly explosive. It’s hyper-detailed, bright, and features some dynamic panel layouts. One would worry that splitting art between Deodato and the Dodson’s might be disastrous, but it’s actually put to good use, with each artist getting whole separate scenes and not interspersed panels.

What’s Not So Good: The very first scene of the book is abyssmal. If it had taken place in the first issue of the crossover, it may have worked, but at this point, it feels rather pointless. What’s worse is that it was accompanied by a caption advertising a future tie-in book. Yes, this issue essentially began with a promo for another book.

A minor complaint, but while I enjoyed the Sentry this month, I’m not entirely sure if Fraction’s treatment of the Void makes sense. Seeing the Void in physical form is a little weird and I didn’t realize that the Sentry thus far has essentially been the Void the entire time, with Bob unaware of everything. It completely goes against those great conversations between Osborn and the Sentry in Dark Avengers.

Conclusion: I actually enjoyed this! Quite a bit!  For once, I got the “everything has changed” vibe I’m supposed to get out of a crossover, and in a way that actually has me excited for what’s to come.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2 (Utopia) – Review

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I picked up the first Dark X-Men: The Beginning book because I liked the characters that were featured. Time to find out if The Beginning can hold out without the likes of Namor, Dark Beast, or Mimic…

“The Last Temptation of Cloak and Dagger”

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

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Paul Cornell’s story about Cloak and Dagger is about as basic an “offer” story as you can get. Norman Osborn approaches Cloak and Dagger about joining the Dark X-Men and as expected, Cloak and Dagger really don’t have much of a choice in the matter. Cornell’s dialogue is pretty strong (he writes a great Osborn) and Leonard Kirk’s art certainly gets the job done, but that’s really all there is to say about “The Last Temptation of Cloak and Dagger.”

“Weapon Omega”

By Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman (Writers), Michael Lacombe (Art), and John Rauch (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The story about Norman Osborn’s plan to get Weapon Omega on board with the Dark X-Men is rather clever, visually solid, and well-written. Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman do a nice job of explaining what Michael Pointer’s deal is and why he is the type of person he is today. In addition, Bernardin and Freeman manage to add an extra layer of slime of Osborn’s character. That’s no easy task with all the Osborn over-exposure going on.

“I Am Daken”

By Rob Willaims (Writer), Paco Diaz (Pencils), Guillermo Ortega (Inks), and Edgar Delgado (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Before I say anything about “I Am Daken,” I have to ask: Is there anyone who truly likes Daken or thinks he’s a good idea for a character? Isn’t one Wolverine (that appears in at least one book almost every week) enough? Ok, with that out of the way, time for me to say a few things about Daken’s story.

Surprisingly, “I Am Daken” is the best of the three stories featured in Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2. That’s really not saying a whole lot, but there’s no denying that Daken’s conversation with Norman Osborn is sharply written and that the artwork by Paco Diaz is pretty slick (though I’m not sure I like how Osborn looks). If I have any complaint, it’s that the brief action scene comes across as a bit disjointed and somewhat unnecessary.

Conclusion: I enjoyed the first Dark X-Men: The Beginning book quite a bit more than the second. That said, the second is worth checking out if you’re a fan of the characters. If you aren’t a fan, then by all means skip Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2, since there’s nothing in the book that absolutely must be read in order to get more out of the Utopia storyline.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

Amazing Spider-Man #597 (American Son Chapter 3) – Review

By Joe Kelly (Writer), Marco Chachetto (Art), and Chris Chuckry (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Since Joe Kelly’s been on a roll lately (Four Eyes), picking up his “American Son” story was something of a no-brainer for me. I enjoyed the first two issues quite a bit (Rob’s reviews are pretty much dead on) and I looked forward to seeing where Kelly takes the story next. One thing though…what’s the deal with having a different art team for each chapter?! It’s absolutely killing me…

The Story: The “American Son” project is revealed as Spidey infiltrates the Dark Avengers by disguising himself as Venom/Mac Gargan/Spider-Man. Harry, meanwhile, thinks of a plan that can eliminate Menace, save his child, and save his lover.

What’s Good: Joe Kelly continues to weave one hell of a Spider-Man tale that takes full advantage of the Dark Reign concept. Watching Spidey take the offensive against Norman and his Avengers is a lot of fun thanks to Kelly’s sharp, surprising dialogue (love Peter’s “Venom” talk) and compelling plot twists. And while chapter three of “American Son” puts most of the politics on hold in favor of some action, the story still manages to move forward at a nice -though slightly fast- pace, especially in regards to the titular American Son.

The moody color work by Chris Chuckry is definitely the highlight of the art package, which is something of a mixed-bag. That said, Marco Chachetto’s work proves to be a good fit for the story. His character designs are strong, his panel layouts are unique, and a few of his action panels are extremely well done.

What’s Not So Good: One complaint I have about The Amazing Spider-Man #597 is that it lacks the depth found in the first two “American Son” chapters. Most of Spidey’s cast is put on the back-burner in favor of action, as a result, I found myself a bit let down by the latest part of Kelly’s Dark Reign tie-in. And the worst part? The action I’m talking about isn’t executed all that well. A few scenes look very good, but Marco Chachetto litters some pages with so many panels that it becomes a chore to try and sort out the correct flow of action. Though I suppose that one could make a case that the panel layout is supposed to reflect Spider-Man’s confusion…

Conclusion: A strong ending keeps the third chapter of “American Son” on par with the rest of the arc. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth reading.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny