Infinity #1 – Review

Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Jim Cheung, Mark Morales, John Livesay, David Meikis (Artists), Justin Ponsor (Colorist)

The Story: The Builders are wreaking havoc everywhere in the cosmos as the Avengers prepare to face them in order to defend Earth. However, Thanos might just see this as an opportunity in disguise…

The Review: Event fatigue is something very real for readers. The world can be in crisis so many times before we can get jaded and tired of the fact that Earth (or America) always seems to be the target for whatever catastrophe is coming. Skrulls, political unrest, old Norse gods and so forth have tried to change the Marvel universe in a permanent way, yet nothing real stuck out in terms of quality*, nothing that people really called as timeless or flawlessly executed. However, this one is written by Jonathan Hickman himself, a master of long-form storytelling capable of reaching a rather large scope in terms of stories and conflicts. Could he be the one to actually deliver a Marvel event that could very well be satisfying?

It is, of course, much too early to say, as this is solely the first issue, yet this is a very promising debut. Hickman picks up a vast number of plot threads from his Avengers and New Avengers runs to create something that is logical and organic to his stories. The Builders, the destruction of the infinity gems, the fact that the universe is undergoing a certain crisis, all of these elements are brought to the forefront to create a large conflict that seems to expand as the issue goes on. People that followed both ongoing by Hickman shall be thoroughly pleased by this introduction.

Age of Ultron #2 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Bryan Hitch (Penciler), Paul Neary (Inkers), Paul Mounts(Colorist), VC’s Cory Petit (Letterer)

The Review:  This’ll be a short review. Not because I’ve suddenly gained the ability to limit myself to sub-1000 word articles (I don’t think I’ll ever break that irksome habit), but rather because thanks to a dose of plot decompression there’s not much to add here that hasn’t already been covered in my review of Age of Ultron #1.

The same sense of despair, after all, is persistent. Even on the other side of America (this issue takes place in San Francisco) the outlook’s bleak. Ultron-Bots continue to ‘pacify’ the population while Black Widow scrambles over piles of dead bodies and Moon Knight snipes at violent looters from atop blown-out buildings. The two heroes were apparently caught off-guard by Ultron’s uprising while in the middle of a black-ops mission and are seen working together to locate a secure rallying point (a classic Fury hideout) and from there plan some payback.

Cable #14 (Messiah War Chapter 4) – Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

Broken Trinity #3 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer), Stjepan Sejic (Art), and Phil Hester (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: In a market crowded by event books, I have found myself pleasantly surprised by Top Cow’s Broken Trinity crossover. It has proven that an epic, satisfying crossover event can be told in under six months and without dozens of tie-ins. That said, after reading Broken Trinity #2, I couldn’t help but feel that the story would have been better told in four parts as opposed to three. Everything about chapter two felt rushed, so I come into the “fatal conclusion” with my expectations a bit lower than they were, following the excellent Broken Trinity #1.

The Story: As it says on the cover, Broken Trinity #3 is all about bringing the Top Cow crossover to a “fatal conclusion.” The stakes have never been higher as the Witchblade bearer, the Darkness host, the Angelus, and the two new artifact bearers (Finn and Glori) battle it out in New York City. And for those of you wondering, the story actually makes good on the tagline’s promise, as a major player in the Top Cow universe is killed in this issue.

What’s Good: Broken Trinity #3 delivers in pretty much every way; especially with an action-packed conclusion to a crossover event. The artwork by Stjepan Sejic and Phil Hester is extremely impressive throughout the book and at times, simply stunning. It adds a weight and intensity to Ron Marz’s epic clash of powers. As for the story, it proves to be both a fitting conclusion and an interesting launching point for the future of the Top Cow universe.

What’s Not So Good: The nagging feeling that the event should have one more chapter never truly went away while reading it’s conclusion. There is a ton of information crammed in between all the fighting, and I can’t help but feel it could have been introduced in another way. Also, it is worth mentioning that it is clear which scenes gained the lion’s share of the artistic attention, an unfortunate trend in Stjepan Sejic’s work. That said, I can nearly forgive that complaint entirely, since even at its worst, the art is quite a bit more visually pleasing than almost anything else on the stands.

Conclusion: Consider this a must read if you have any interest at all in the future of the Top Cow universe. The battle is epic, the conclusion is indeed fatal, and the future is shown to be loaded with potential.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Secret Invasion #7 (of 8) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Leinil Yu (Pencils), Mark Morales (Inker), Laura Martin, and Emily Warren (Colorists)

The Story: The penultimate chapter of the Secret Invasion is all about the action. Heroes and villains from throughout the Marvel universe come together for an epic battle against the Skrull army. But this isn’t just a straight forward fight, the final seeds planted months ago by writer Brian Bendis finally come to fruition.

What’s (very) Good: The action. The artwork here is absolutely phenomenal. Each panel packs a punch and it seems as though every character involved in the fight gets a chance to shine. There is a LOT going on in this comic and the art team pulls it off spectacularly. As far as action goes, this is one epic fight that manages to live up to the hype. Hats of to Leinil Yu for delivering the goods!

What’s Not So Good: The dialogue. I know that I may sound a bit too critical here, but most of the battlefield dialogue just simply doesn’t work for me. The banter and catch-phrases, while (admittedly) fun, take away from the seriousness and scope of the battle at hand. I held on to some hope that the encounter would somehow be able to transcend above its summer blockbuster status, but it doesn’t. It is all very fun, but considering how seriously some of this story has been taken, I can’t help but feel the tone is a bit off. It just seems like some of the characters involved are having way too much fun.

Conclusion: For all out Marvel superhero action, you really can’t get much better than this. It doesn’t try to be something it’s not. Whether that is a positive or a negative is up to you, the reader, to decide.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

As short-changed as some might feel, this book doesn’t need the dialogue. Why? Because there’s really not much of a story here. It’s a full blown brawl fest — Marvel porn at its finest. Finally… finally some of those New Avengers and Mighty Avengers stories that were dismissed as “throwaways” make sense and carry more weight. The concept of Wasp being chosen to be the doomsday weapon is a bit silly, though. And why only infect her when you can infect others as a contingency plan? That logic throws me off a bit, but whatever. This once dreaded invasion is showing signs of fatigue. At least I now know why Marvel released that Marvel Boy hardcover a couple of weeks back.

At this point I just want this series to be over.

Grade: C

– J. Montes

Broken Trinity #2 – Review

By Ron Marz (Writer), Stjepan Sejic (Art), and Phil Hester (Art)

First, a quick note. Now that I’ve read the first two chapters of Top Cow’s Broken Trinity crossover, I find myself absolutely baffled as to why the story is being limited to three main books and two tie-ins (one of which is a prequel and another that remains a mystery). The event feels and looks every bit the epic as advertised and yet it all comes to a conclusion next issue without nearly enough plot development to flesh out the story. Another book or two would do wonders for adding more depth to what looks to be an epic confrontation between the powers of the Top Cow universe. Why is this being cut so short?

Structure complaints aside, not a lot really happens in Broken Trinity #2. The characters and powers all come together in preparation for a clash that will take place next month. Yep, it’s a set up issue. While there is some great character work between Sara and Jackie and some more background on the nature of the conflict at hand, I never felt that things were really moving forward in a way that actually developed the story. That said, I came looking for a visually awesome battle and I honestly believe that Broken Trinity is going to deliver that in a big way… it just doesn’t happen in this issue.

Technically, the issue is quite solid. Ron Marz does some nice character work, but falls a bit short in plot development. He obviously has a strong handle on the characters, but it feels as though he really doesn’t have much planned beyond throwing all these powers together and having them fight it out. There’s no doubt that he really couldn’t have picked a better art team to work with. Stjepan Sejic and Phil Hester make Broken Trinity one of the most visually compelling events in quite some time. My only complaint is the (usual) noticeable drop in quality during minor scenes.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t let down by Broken Trinity #2, but I also find myself really looking forward to the conclusion of the event. Here’s to hoping that it delivers the action it seems to promise. (Grade: C)

-Kyle Posluszny

Broken Trinity #1 – Review

Ron Marz, (Writer) Stjepan Sejic, and Phil Hester (Art)

As I have come to learn since becoming a comic book critic, the first part of an event or a new creative run is tough to review. It must hook the reader in some way while at the same time going through the (possibly boring or redundant) motions necessary to set up the story arc. Things can really get off on the wrong foot if the set up (a necessary evil) isn’t sufficiently compelling (check out Uncanny X-Men #500 for proof). I mention this because I feel that Broken Trinity #1 is a great example of how to properly set up a new storyline without making it feel like a boring chore to read.

There are two storylines at work in this issue, both of them serving to bring the elements of this event together. One of them, a visually striking Viking skirmish that quickly escalates into an epic battle between supernatural forces, serves up the action while establishing new elements in the Top Cow Universe. The other storyline works to bring almost all of the main players together in a way that feels both logical and natural given the continuity. While I honestly have no idea as to where things will go from here, the set up is solid and full of enough combustible elements to make for a great event. One thing is for sure, the creative team working on this series set quite a high bar with the First Born event, so they have their work cut out for them if they hope to clear it.

As for the writing, Ron Marz does a great job in this issue. The dialogue during the Viking battle is suitably epic and the characters drive the story well in the present day scenes. While I wish he would have spent a touch more time establishing the Celestine character, I have a feeling more will be explained sooner than later. Marz deftly puts the pieces in place while keeping a sense of mystery about what exactly is going on and, honestly, he’s got me hooked. While this story could really go either way at this point (since so much is still up in the air), it is off to quite a start.

I expected some nice work from the team of Stjepan Sejic and Phil Hester, but I’ve got to say that they really exceeded every expectation. The Viking scenes are absolutely stunning, a display of what I suppose I’ll call beautiful brutality. The supernatural characters look fantastic as well, though I will readily admit that they are nothing more than extremely impressive looking fantasy clichés. My only true complaint is that, like nearly all of Sejic’s books, there is a noticeable drop in detail/quality from time to time, but I can excuse that considering it must take quite some time to create the more impressive stuff. A book needs to get out at some point, so I can overlook that for the most part.

Overall, I’m really enjoying the first part of the Broken Trinity event. It manages to avoid getting bogged down by the necessary set up while creating the hooks that make me want more as soon as possible. (Grade: A)

-Kyle Posluszny