T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #9 – Review

By: Too many to list—check out the review.

The Story: You know what they say: beware a redheaded woman with assassin’s credentials.

The Review: You can always count on Nick Spencer to deliver an engaging, enjoyable read, even if the actual substance of the writing isn’t always what it should be.  That’s not to imply this Iron Maiden story arc has been superfluous or anything, but with this arc decompressed to the max, it gets a little harder to remember why you’re invested in this story with every passing issue.  The events in themselves work and rarely fail to garner your interest, but the sluggish pacing often defeats whatever excitement the story generates.

The culprits can only be the flashback sequences, which serve strictly as expositional vehicles.  And by far it’s the 60s “back-up” feature that takes up the most time and space for the least value.  While Spencer is to be congratulated for channeling that Silver Age style and continuity with accuracy, the material has for a while become less cute and more tiresome, especially here, where it reveals almost nothing new or useful to the story.

Even the 80s sequence, which usually plays a pretty big role in the issue, seems unusually slow and redundant.  Since we already knew the original Dynamo would break a deal to free his wife and daughter, and any such deal requires a hefty price, we also already knew Len would be the one to pay it.  His final epistle to Iron Maiden is predictably touching, but gives us a poor gauge of their love, as the letter mostly reveals her ball-busting (“…there’s no use yelling at me, Red.”  “I know you never thought I was the brightest man to walk the earth…”) attitude.

While we have every indication that I. Maiden was truly in love with Dynamo, we can also safely conclude he may have been the only individual for whom she had any real feeling.  Just look at her taking her sweet time painting her lips while the girls she collected on her payroll get mowed down.  Keep in mind she also abandoned Colleen at some point, possibly implying any affection for her daughter was tangentially derived from that for her husband.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #8 – Review

By: Too many to list—check out the review.

The Story: I think in this case, we can say she’s a lady-killer.

The Review: Last time, I complained Spencer’s use of two period “features” in the issue, though enjoyable, didn’t really do much to expand on the story and in fact, dragged on the story’s pace, especially given the lower page count.  In that case, the features reduced the present story to a handful of action-less panels, but didn’t offer much substance to make up for it.

Spencer makes better use of them this time around, especially the 80s sequence depicting the uncertain fate of Colleen’s parents after they get captured by her dad’s former employers (mind you, she’s just a little babe when all this goes down).  For one thing, we get a new appreciation for Iron Maiden’s deadliness when we find out she has singlehandedly killed 4,819 individuals.  We saw her dirty work firsthand last issue, when she dispatched 4 spec-ops men with only a bloody nose on her part, but the specificity of the grim statistic can’t fail to take you aback.

So you may not be entirely convinced by her husband, formerly Dynamo, when he claims “She’s changed.”  Considering her callous indifference when faced with a casualty of one of her hits, a four-year-old girl who was in the building when Iron Maiden blew it up, she may not be entirely as sympathetic as he insists.  But it’s worth noting no one argues when he says she helped him save the world at one point, so some benefit of the doubt may be in order here.

Which leads us to yet another Silver Age inspired, 50s back-up feature.  It’s hard to tell if the prevention of Uru, the Subterranean Warlord, and his armies from attacking the surface world is the war Dynamo refers to earlier in the issue, but I. Maiden plays a helpful role, regardless.  Anyway, you’ve got to love the over-the-top bluntness with which everyone delivers their lines: “You can’t do this, I love him!”  “Foolish woman!  I only told you that to get you on our side!”

Chaos War #4 – Review

By: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writer), Khoi Pham (pencils), Thomas Palmer (inks), Sunny Gho (colors), Simon Bowland (letters) & Mark Paniccia (editor)

The Story: Now that the Chaos King has given the beat-down to just about the entire Marvel U., how is anyone going to stand up to him?

What’s Good: This issue becomes much more of a Hercules story than a Marvel U. story.  If you’re a Herc fan, you’ll love it because all of the other Marvel characters who have played roles in Chaos War thus far kinda fade to the side.

The central problem is that Herc’s God Squad and all other forces standing against the Chaos King have been pretty thoroughly trounced and they’ll either have to flee (which leads to a neat Galactus/Cho moment) OR someone is going to have to seriously level-up.  I’ll let you guess what is probably going to happen as the issue ends on a note that makes me excited for issue #5.

Pham, Palmer and Gho continue to do a nice job on the art.  A special kudos needs to go to colorist Sunny Gho.  Colors are really important to making cosmic or godly events seem…well…cosmic and godly.  And he does a very nice job.  Also, I usually don’t care about cover art at all, but Dan Panosian’s cover is really nice.  Note, I’m giving the kudos based on the art being a pin-up and I’ll discuss the dictated content below.

Chaos War: God Squad #1 – Review

By: Marc Sumerak (writer), Dan Panosian (art), Antonio Fabela (colors), Dave Sharpe (letters) & Mark Paniccia (editor)

The Story: A bunch of neither God, nor mortal heroic types battle the forces of Chaos.

What’s Good: This is a comic you buy if you’re into a couple of the characters OR are buying the whole Chaos War event (like me).  The story focuses on Daimon Hellstrom, Sersi, Silver Surfer & Venus.  How’s that for an odd team?  Probably most Marvel fans will be interested to read about one or two of those characters.  For me, the highlights are the Surfer and Venus.  Although Venus’ joke of signing some appropriate (yet oddly inapt) song to solve a problem is not a new joke, it really never gets old.  It is one of those story devices where you can just tell that every Marvel writer has “the song” that they’re going to have Venus sing if they ever get to writer her.  I love reading a comic that contains that sort of enthusiasm from the creators.  Do you doubt that some Marvel writer has a plan to have Venus sing “Baby got back” someday?

In an oddly good moment for an event tie-in, this issue actually expands the Chaos War event a little bit by explaining why these four characters are important to defeating the Chaos King.  Here’s a hint: The name “God Squad” is actually kinda a misnomer for them, but only “kinda”.  This was a neat concept and I hope it is explored a little more in the Chaos War proper.

Panosian’s art is mostly excellent.  There were pages in here where I said, “Ohhh.  I like that.  I wouldn’t mind having that framed on my wall.”  That doesn’t happen in every comic.  This issue also has a lot of cosmic vibe to it that allows Fabela’s colors to shine.

Agents of Atlas #11 – Review

by Jeff Parker (writer), Dan Panosian & Gabriel Hardman (art), Elizabeth Dismang & Sotocolor (colors), and Tom Orzechowski (letters)

The Story: The final battle is waged between the Agents of Atlas and the Great Wall.

What’s Good: M-11 really comes off as the star of this issue.  In fact, the robot is more fun this month than he’s ever been.  A lot of humor comes from Ken’s placing a personality microchip into the robot, leading to some utterly ridiculous rhyming trash-talk from the usually silent M-11.  The revelation of who M-11 is impersonating was also unexpected and enjoyable.  All the more wonderful still was how the chip ultimately led to M-11 showing perhaps the most sentience we’ve seen from him in the series, proving that there really is a personality and character underneath all the metal.

Naturally, this issue also has a good deal of action, and it’s all gloriously rendered.  A lot of this is thanks to Elizabeth Dismang’s efforts on the colors, making it all take on a particularly fiery hue.  Again though, M-11 steals the show, with by far the best action scene of the book.  The robot brawl/boxing match is all kinds of awesome, with M-11 bringing back some classic Menacer robot quips.

Beyond M-11 though, the other character who really shines this month is Temugin.  The character has spent a lot of the series as uneven, unlikable, and oddly underpowered for his skills, and while the last point isn’t rectified, the other two definitely are, as Temugin becomes a strangely engaging character that I really had no problem cheering for.  I’ve always been a sucker for formerly villainous characters showing heroic qualities, and ultimately transitioning form bad guy to bad ass.  Temugin’s actions are some of the most heroic this issue and the sequence is almost heartwarming.

What’s Not So Good: While he’s a good artist, I still don’t like Panosian on Atlas.  While last month’s issue was glorious thanks to its being heavier on the Hardman side of the team than the Panosian side, the opposite is true this time, and the comic suffers as a result.  Hardman is perfect for the series, and is just a league above Panosian, whose angular, cartoony, and at times pin-up styled artwork just doesn’t jive with the comic.  His angular faces in particular at times feel just a bit too comical.

I also have to add that the first third of the comic is an incredibly frustrating experience overall.  Opening this month’s issue, I actually felt as though I missed a book, and it’s irritating and disorienting.  Last month, Atlas was holding their own against the Wall, but at the start of this issue, Atlas is crippled and near a route.  Huh?  Worse still, last month ended with the cliffhanger of the newly upgraded M-11 showing up to kick ass.  Now, this book opens up as though that never even happened.  Why even bother with last month’s ending and the extended mad scientist scene if the upgrades accomplish nothing and are never even to be shown in use?

Lastly, I’m wholly disappointed with Jade Claw.  As a former lover of Jimmy, she had such potential as a character.  Instead, Parker seems sadly content with keeping her a completely one-note character who sounds like any clichéd female villain.  There’s absolutely nothing that makes her special and the character’s voice is monotonous and unchanging.

Conclusion: Great character moments in a flawed issue that sadly hints at future story-arcs that probably will never come.

Grade: B –

-Alex Evans

Ultimate X-Men/Fantastic Four Annual #1 – Review

By Aron E Coleite and Joe Pokaski (Writers), Dan Panosian and Mark Brook (Pencilers), Danny Miki and Troy Hubbs (Inkers), and John Rauch and Antonio Fabela (Colorists)

While I enjoy the occasional “Ultimate” comic, I’ve never been a huge fan of that universe.  I don’t plan on “converting” any time soon, but this issue sure makes a strong showing that the Ultimate U can offer a traditional Marvel story, while still maintaining its own flavor.

In the future sentiment has turned against all those with powers, and the X-Men have become a group of illegal freedom fighters. Eventually these X-Men decide to travel to the past to destroy the thing that started this hellish future: Reed Richards. As they invade, we see a rather entertaining fight between the FF of today and the X-Men of tomorrow. Twenty years of honing power and skill allow the X-Men to be victorious in capturing Reed, and the remaining FF decide to turn to the one group they believe can help them: the current X-Men. What follows is a typical mystery as the two teams work together to solve exactly what the future X-Men intend to do, and why they’ve only captured Reed, instead of killing him.

As a quick side note, the two things that interested me about the future X-Men were discovering who the new Captain America (yes, he joins the X-Men, and no, he’s not Steve Rogers) and the new Phoenix are (in this case, it is a character who is finally yet introduced in the Ultimate U) And if you think the future X-Men are cool, just wait until the last page reveals the future Fantastic Four!

Overall, this was an extremely entertaining plot, and I can’t wait for part two in two weeks! If you are a fan of the “regular” X-Men or the Fantastic Four these two issues would be a great thing to pick up to give you a taste of their “Ultimate” counterparts. (Grade: B+)

-M. Staples