Amazing X-Men #4 – Review

By: Jason Aaron (writer), Ed McGuinness (penciler), Dexter Vines (inker), Marte Gracia (colors)

The Story: Yo Ho, all together, hoist four-colors high…

The Review: Amazing X-Men is a strange beast – no pun intended, despite there being at least two. The latest X-Men ongoing from Jason Aaron has felt quite a bit more like a “Quest for Nightcrawler” miniseries thus far. It returns the X-Men to their largely forgotten demon battling days and reintroduces Azazel to their rogue’s gallery. Even stranger, it’s been a gorgeous widescreen romp, plagued by strange pacing problems. All of that continues this month, but it’s slowly becoming clearer what’s important to Jason Aaron.

The issue opens with the X-Men scattered throughout the various realms of the Christian afterlife, but it’s very much a story about their coming together. Aaron builds on the stupendous flashbacks that helped define last issue and doesn’t let up for a minute. To be honest, I usually try to build at least some level of suspense into my reviews, but there’s simply nothing that can justify not discussing the level to which Aaron understands the X-Men in this issue.

The highlight of the issue, by far, is the interaction between Nightcrawler and Beast. Aaron has every opportunity to simplify or stereotype the bluest X-Men, but instead he crafts a truly charming battle and an incredible flashback that is positively filled with everything wonderful about the old Xavier Institute.

Aaron draws similar emotion out of the inevitable reunion between Kurt and Logan. Though the flashback that precedes it is comparatively unadventurous, Aaron trusts his story, his characters, and his artist and the result is a moment of stunningly beautiful tenderness.

Amazing X-Men #2 – Review

By: Jason Aaron (writer), Ed McGuinness (penciler), Dexter Vines (inker), Marte Gracia (colors)

The Story: Iceman finds himself without a snowball’s chance in Hell.

The Review: As Jason Aaron’s Elysian pirate epic rolls on, we find the Amazing team split between Heaven and Hell. If that sounds awesome to you, you’re probably not alone, as, at the least, Aaron seems to be plenty pleased with the sheer scope of his tale.

Fans of Aaron’s work will remember that he previously took Wolverine to Hell in the previous iteration of Logan’s solo series. Despite that rather grim take on Logan, Aaron’s also become known for the madcap, comedic style of Wolverine and the X-Men. Fittingly, this issue demonstrates elements of each of those runs.

The tone is definitely more in line with Aaron’s more recent work, focusing on the madness of the situation rather than the horror; however the narration of the issue makes sure to reinforce the stakes. I expect that this will register differently depending on the reader. Just as some may find the balance refreshing, others may wish that the book would pick a tone and stick with it.

Amazing X-Men #1 – Review

By: Jason Aaron (writer), Ed McGuinness (penciler), Dexter Vines (inker), Marte Gracia (colors)

The Story: The X-Men vs. pirate demons. That is all.

The Review: To be honest, “My name is Kurt Wagner. And this is the story of how I fell from Heaven” is one of those instantly intriguing opening statements that writing teachers gush over. It’s a simple trick that only grows more fascinating the more you think about it, dispelling illusions that Nightcrawler survived, implying that there may be a difficult choice ahead for the staunchly Catholic mutant, and even raising questions of whether he falls to Earth or somewhere else.

Before long, Jason Aaron dives into a crash course in Nightcrawler. From the focus of his meditations to the airy joy he displays in rescuing a damsel in distress, Kurt Wagner comes through loud and clear.

While just under half of the issue is dedicated to Nightcrawler’s struggles, the other half is spent at the Jean Grey School, where a new professor is getting the lay of the land. I found this side of things to be a little weaker. To spend a quarter of the issue establishing the craziness at the Jean Grey School seems inefficient, at best.

Marvel Divas #1 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Tonci Zonjic (Art), and Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic & June Chung (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: It will be interesting to see how Marvel’s Divas stack up against Gotham’s Sirens…

The Story: Patsy Walker (Hellcat), Monica Rambeau (Captain Marvel/leader of Nextwave), Felicia Hardy (Black Cat), and Angelica Jones (Firestar) are superhero “gal-pals” trying to navigate the social scene of the Marvel Universe. In Marvel Divas #1, we learn how they became friends, see three of them attend a party for Patsy Walker’s latest book, and talk about, well, girl stuff (guys, the social scene, sex, relationships, etc.).

About That Cover: Ignore the rather obnoxious J. Scott Campbell cover… Actually, scratch that…Take a good look at the J. Scott Campbell cover because it’s really the only thing about Marvel Divas #1 that deserves to fall into the “Not So Good” category. That’s not to say that the cover looks bad (cheesecake certainly has its place), but it couldn’t possibly be a worse fit for a book that succeeds almost entirely because it avoids all the baggage that comes with a cover that says “Marvel Divas” and features four ladies in skintight outfits posing in a way that accentuates their… uh… assets. Now, with that out of the way…

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: As far as story and tone is concerned, Marvel Divas truly is Sex and the City meets the Marvel Universe. Is it really my type of thing? Absolutely not. But that doesn’t mean that the mini-series should be dismissed in any way. And that’s because, on a creative level, Marvel Divas is as strong as some of the best books on the stands.

Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa does an excellent job of giving Marvel Divas a distinct flavor for a Marvel comic. In other words, there’s very little superhero stuff and a whole lot of girl talk, girl power, and clever banter. The four main characters are written in a way that makes it easy for readers to quickly understand the important personalities (though one or two come across as a bit stereotypical) and where they fit in the Marvel universe. Aguirre-Sacasa also does a nice job of humorously breaking the fourth wall at appropriate times (“Company wide crossover”) to keep the interest of those that are picking the book up out of curiosity.

My only real complaint about the writing in Marvel Divas is actually not really a complaint and more of an observation: Aguirre-Sacasa clearly isn’t aiming for that “all inclusive” feel (though the writer certainly doesn’t have to) . What I mean is that it will quickly become clear whether Marvel Divas is for you or not. I am clearly not a part of the intended audience, yet I can certainly appreciate the mini-series for what it is.

The artwork by Tonci Zonjic for Marvel Divas is perfectly suited to the tone that Aguirre-Sacasa amazingly establishes. Stylish, expressive, and subtle, Zonjic’s work effortlessly brings out the personality and high points of the script. The only negative thing about Zonjic’s style is that character faces all tend to look similar. Skin tones and hairstyles keep faces distinct, but some more facial detail would definitely be welcome.

Conclusion: Even though Marvel Divas isn’t a series for your average fanboys, it’s definitely one unique and creative piece.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Ultimate Spider-Man #120 – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils) Wade Bon Grawbadger (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors)

I was prepared to be disappointed when I saw the cover of this issue. I figured, with the X-Men on the cover, we’re going to have a big obligatory fight scene filled with lots of one-liners and so on. I even groaned a bit when I saw Magneto grace last issue’s pages. Maybe I’m just a bit tired of mutants. Whatever it is, it felt contrived.

With all that out of the way, Ultimate Spider-Man #120 is an excellent read! There are a few bits of Liz Allen acting completely stupid as she flies around talking to herself, but given the situation she’s in, I can’t blame her. However, it all could have been done off-page and there’d be no disruption to the story.

So, Liz Allen is Firestar and Magneto isn’t there to recruit her, but to take her to her father. With his identity completely unknown to her, Magento uses this as a bargaining tool to get her to come with her. And for most of the issue, her father’s identity is kept a secret, but one look at her mom should give it away – I mean, I guessed it right the first time! Anyway, in her confused state, Liz debates the possibility of going with Magneto, despite the constant pleas of Spidey and Iceman for her to do otherwise.

Eventually, the X-Men show up and tell Liz to join them. Liz won’t have it from anyone. She tells everyone to literally “go to hell”, and runs off into the arms of her best friend, Mary Jane. A lot of “good” happens from here on, with Peter making another crazy decision involving his waning secret identity. Still, this issue’s got a lot of great moments and dialog. I’m also pleased that it didn’t run another one to two issues, either. Bendis wraps the story up perfectly and Stuart Immonen delivers another fantastic issue that has something for everyone. Tender moments, action scenes, moody night shots – it’s all here! Someone please remind me to buy a page of his artwork in the near future. It’s that good. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

Ultimate Spider-Man #118 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Stuart Immonen (Pencils), Wade Von Grawbadger (Inks), Justin Ponsor (Colors)

I love Mark Bagley’s body of work on Ultimate Spider-Man. When I think of the title, his name will always be synonymous with it, much like Romita Sr. and Ditko and Amazing Spider-Man. But Stuart Immonen’s art, while drastically different than Bagley’s in style, knows how to flow with Brian Bendis’ script.

A look at the first page in Ultimate Spider-Man #118 clearly shows this. The way Pete can’t focus on his studies because of Harry’s death and how the shadows begin to set in his room really makes for a powerful opening. No words are needed because the panel speaks so powerfully for itself. The line work he puts in his characters remind me much of Leinil Yu (I think it’s the eyes, too), and his attention to detail, especially in the mall scene, is meticulous. Kudos to Justin Ponsor who does a great coloring job. His colors really amplify the mood of the book and bring a lot of life to Immonen’s work.

This issue marks the beginning of the “Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends” story arc, and it’s a perfect place for readers to jump on. Bendis does a ton of character work this issue and it’s such a good read. It’s all driven by the characters’ thoughts and there’s lots of “Aaaarghh’ss” to be read, but it’s hilarious. Everyone has their concerns and problems, and Bendis just nails the life of a young person. Johnny Storm arriving at school to cause trouble with everyone is downright hilarious and Firestar’s identity is sure to surprise! Month to month, Ultimate Spider-Man delivers. This issue is no different. (Grade: A)

– J.Montes